Written Answers Monday 8 December 2008

Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that general health campaigns reach disabled people.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive and the NHS in Scotland have a legal duty to undertake equality impact assessments of their existing and proposed policies and procedures under the race, disability and gender legislation to ensure fair and equal access. This requirement extends to ensuring health campaigns are inclusive of and accessible to disabled people.

  A range of central resources and support, including an Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit has been provided. National guidance entitled Achieving Fair Access, published in July 2007, provides advice to the NHS in Scotland on removing barriers disabled people face in accessing health services and this includes advice on appropriate and accessible communication.

  A new Equalities and Planning Directorate was established on 1 April 2008 within NHS Health Scotland to provide support for the NHS in Scotland and will build on the work already undertaken under the Fair for All framework.

  NHS24 is currently developing a National Health Information and Support Service for Scotland, bringing together quality assured information from across the NHS and the voluntary sector and making this information accessible through telephone helpline, high street facilities and the web. This information will be developed in a range of formats to ensure it is accessible and appropriate for disabled people.

Access for People with Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require local authorities to use only polling stations that are accessible to everyone including those with disabilities and, if so, when.

Nicola Sturgeon: The administration of elections in Scotland, including the provision of polling stations, is the responsibility of the individual Returning Officer within each local authority area. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, places a duty on all public authorities to promote equality and eliminate discrimination against those with disabilities while exercising their functions. Returning Officers should have regard to their duties under this legislation when considering access to the democratic process.

Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17731 by Maureen Watt on 20 November 2008, what action is being taken to tackle the number of pupils being suspended for alcohol-related issues from schools in the Lothians region, broken down by local authority area.

Maureen Watt: At a strategic level, the Scottish Government published a discussion paper in June, setting out a wide ranging set of actions and proposals to tackle alcohol misuse amongst young people and the wider population.

  Action includes supporting schools and local authorities in a number of ways, including having established an expert steering group on substance misuse education in schools to produce advice, guidance and proposals aimed at helping schools and authorities to achieve the improvements sought through Curriculum for Excellence. The Scottish Government is developing new guidance, Included, Engaged and Involved: Part 2, which will focus on the prevention and management of exclusion from school.

  Actions to tackle alcohol-related issues within schools in the Lothians parliamentary region is a matter for the particular individual local authorities concerned. Therefore, the information requested is not held centrally.

Ambulance Service

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with ambulance cover for highland Perthshire.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances cover the highland Perthshire area and whether there are plans to increase the number stationed in the area.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the Scottish Ambulance Service continues to provide safe, efficient and effective services to patients across Scotland, including those in Highland Perthshire.

  Ambulance cover in Highland Perthshire is primarily provided from stations in Pitlochry, Crieff and Blairgowrie. Each of these stations has a double crewed accident and emergency ambulance on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, together with a second crew on duty for one 12 hour day shift each week.

  In addition, NHS Tayside fund a fast response vehicle, crewed by a community paramedic, which is based in Aberfeldy. While this resource can be used to respond to emergency calls, its primary role is to support the delivery of out-of-hours care.

Child Poverty

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about its plans to enshrine in law its aim to end child poverty by 2020 and whether the Scottish Government supports such plans.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on whether the UK Government’s planned legislation to enshrine in law its commitment to end child poverty by 2020 should apply in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to doing all within the powers available to end child poverty by 2020. We are pressing the UK Government for early and meaningful discussions around how its proposed legislation will be framed.

Child Safety

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to record incidents in local authority schools involving offensive weapons, in particular knives, or the possession of such weapons.

Maureen Watt: Recording mechanisms are a matter for individual local authorities. Each local authority has established its own system for collecting information about incidents of violence against local authority school staff based on guidance issued by the Scottish Executive in June 2003.

Culture

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to the music industry.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is committed to the music industry which makes an important contribution to Scottish life and our economy and provides a wide range of support to the music industry throughout Scotland.

  Its publicly funded agencies such as the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council provide funding and assistance to the industry. This includes supporting:

  The Scottish Music Industry Association;

  Showcasing and trade events such as Showcase Scotland, held during Celtic Connections, the World Music Expo, Tune Up and events in North America;

  Working in partnership with the industry, for example in HI Arts and GoEVENTS, and supporting networking for example, Kerchoonz;

  Creative, professional and business development with funding and advice, and

  Skills and training, including for young people entering the industry, for example with the youth music initiative.

  Homecoming will also present a lot of opportunities for our music industry, including a major celebration of Scottish music, from traditional to cutting edge, on St Andrew’s Day 2009.

Culture

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is allocated to support the music industry and under what budget heading.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government supports the music industry through its publicly funded agencies, including Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

Culture

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects Creative Scotland to distribute in Scotland in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11, (d) 2011-12 and (e) 2012-13.

Linda Fabiani: The total budgets and planned budgets for Creative Scotland proposed to Parliament are £50.2 million in 2008-09, £55.1 million in 2009-10 and £57.5 million in 2010-11. Included in these figures are specific amounts for the Youth Music Initiative (£10 million per year), Cultural Co-ordinators (£2.65 million in 2008-09 and £2.15 million in 2009-10), Arts and Business (£0.4 million each year) and the Edinburgh Festivals Expo fund (£1.308 million in 2008-09, £2.692 million in 2009-10 and £2 million in 2010-11). The budgets include provision for new government priorities such as the Creative Innovation Fund (£2.5 million in each year 2009-10 and 2010-11).

  Decisions on more detailed disbursements of Creative Scotland funding are for the Joint Board of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, and for Creative Scotland once established, and set out in those organisations’ annual business plans.

  Any revisions to Creative Scotland’s budgets each year will be proposed to Parliament in the usual way. Funding levels for Creative Scotland beyond 2010-11 will be announced at the next Government spending review.

Fuel Costs

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the average household’s annual fuel bill has been in each of the last 10 years.

Stewart Maxwell: The average fuel bill for the last 10 years has to be derived from two sources, the Scottish House Condition Survey and the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform. Combining these sources and making an adjustment for higher fuel bills in Scotland, we estimate that the average domestic fuel bill in Scotland was:

  

Period Covered (October to September)
 Annual Average Fuel Bill in Scotland (£)


 April 1998
 870


 April 1999
 830


 April 2000
 810


 April 2001
 860


 April 2002
 860


 April 2003
 860


 April 2004
 870


 April 2005
 920


 April 2006
 1,000



  Sources: 1998-2003 – estimated based on data from BERR. 2004-2006 – Scottish Household Condition Survey.

  Figures for 2007 are still currently unavailable.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when digital mammography screening will be available in each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: As we stated in Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan , published on 27 October 2008, the Scottish Breast Screening Programme is currently undertaking early planning for the introduction of digital mammography where digital images will be used rather than film images. Although this technology is unlikely to be introduced systematically before 2011, it has the potential to offer the screening service a far greater flexibility to read images electronically at a different location.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stillbirths occurred in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the last year for which information is available, broken down by month.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Number of Stillbirths in Ayrshire and Arran, 2007, by Month of Death

  

 Month
 Stillbirths


 Total
 27


 January
 *


 February
 *


 March
 *


 April
 *


 May
 *


 June
 *


 July
 *


 August
 *


 September
 *


 October
 *


 November
 *


 December
 *



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Small numbers (less than five) are not disclosed as these are potentially disclosive of patient identity.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many still births occurred in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the last year for which information is available, broken down by hospital.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Stillbirths in Ayrshire and Arran, 2007 by Hospital of Death

  

 Month
 Stillbirths


 Crosshouse Hospital
 27


 Total
 27



  Source ISD Scotland.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stillbirths occurred in the last year for which information is available, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Stillbirths, 2007 by NHS Board of Treatment

  

 NHS Board of Treatment
 Stillbirths


 Total
 327


 Ayrshire and Arran
 27


 Borders
 *


 Dumfries and Galloway
 6


 Fife
 21


 Forth Valley
 14


 Grampian
 33


 Greater Glasgow
 106


 Highland
 14


 Lanarkshire
 25


 Lothian
 51


 Orkney
 -


 Shetland
 -


 Tayside
 25


 Domicillary
 *



  Source ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Small numbers (less than five) are not disclosed as these are potentially disclosive of patient identity.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stillbirths occurred in the last year for which the information is available, broken down by month.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Number of Stillbirths, 2007 by Month of Death

  

 Month
 Stillbirths


 Total
 327


 January
 30


 February
 29


 March
 24


 April
 28


 May
 28


 June
 29


 July
 24


 August
 25


 September
 28


 October
 25


 November
 23


 December
 34



  Source ISD Scotland.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what neonatal mortality rates were in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the last year for which information is available, broken down by month.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Neonatal Deaths in Ayrshire and Arran, 2007 by Month of Death

  

 Month
 Neonatal Deaths Number
 Neonatal Deaths Rate per 1,000 Live Births


 Total
 18
 4.8


 January
 *
 *


 February
 *
 *


 March
 *
 *


 April
 -
 -


 May
 *
 *


 June
 *
 *


 July
 *
 *


 August
 *
 *


 September
 *
 *


 October
 *
 *


 November
 *
 *


 December
 -
 -



  Source ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Small numbers (less than five) and rates derived from these are not disclosed, as these are potentially disclosive of patient identity.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what neonatal mortality rates were in the last year for which information is available, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Neonatal Deaths, 2007 by NHS Board of Treatment

  

 NHS Board of Treatment
Neonatal DeathsNumber
 Neonatal Deaths Rate per 1,000 Live Births


 Total
 188
 3.5


 Ayrshire and Arran
 18
 4.8


 Borders
 -
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 *
 *


 Fife
 17
 4.7


 Forth Valley
 *
 *


 Grampian
 15
 2.5


 Greater Glasgow
 62
 4.4


 Highland
 *
 *


 Lanarkshire
 12
 2.5


 Lothian
 26
 2.8


 Orkney
 *
 *


 Shetland
 *
 *


 Tayside
 20
 6.6


 Western Isles
 -
 -


 Domicillary
 6
 n/a



  Source ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Small numbers (less than five) and rates derived from these are suppressed, as these are potentially disclosive. Please note that because of the small numbers involved, the rates will show marked random variation.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what neonatal mortality rates were in the last three years for which information is available.

Shona Robison: The information requested can be found at the following ISD website:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/information-and-statistics.jsp?pContentID=3119&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&

  Table 19b in the following publications: Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2007; Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2006; Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2005. Please note that because of the small numbers involved, the rates will show marked random variation.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many late fetal deaths there were in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the last year for which information is available, broken down by month.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table

  Late Fetal Deaths in Ayrshire and Arran, 2007, by Month of Death

  

Month
Late Fetal Deaths


Total
15


January
*


February
*


March
*


April
*


May
*


June
*


July
*


August
*


September
*


October
*


November
*


December
*



  Source ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Numbers under five have not been disclosed.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many late fetal deaths there were in the last year for which information is available, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Late Fetal Deaths, 2007 by NHS board of treatment

  

 NHS Board of Treatment
 Late Fetal Deaths


 Total
 138


 Ayrshire and Arran
 15


 Borders
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7


 Fife
 10


 Forth Valley
 9


 Grampian
 11


 Greater Glasgow
 40


 Highland
 6


 Lanarkshire
 20


 Lothian
 13


 Orkney
 -


 Shetland
 -


 Tayside
 6


 Domicillary
 *



  Source ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Small numbers (less than five) are not disclosed, as these are potentially disclosive of patient identity.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the late fetal death rates were in the last three years for which information is available.

Shona Robison: The information requested can be found at the following website:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/information-and-statistics.jsp?pContentID=3119&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&.

  Table 19b in the following publications: Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2007; Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2006; Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality & Morbidity Report 2005.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 18 known deaths due to or associated with Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008 were (a) type 027, (b) other types of Clostridium difficile and (c) not identified by type.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 18 known deaths due to, or associated with, Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008 were identified by type (a) before the patient’s death, (b) within two weeks of the patient’s death, (c) within one month of the patient’s death and (d) more than one month after the patient’s death.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information sought forms part of the Outbreak Control Team’s report which has been provided to the Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to assist in his on-going investigations and the parallel investigations that are being undertaken by Strathclyde Police and the Health and Safety Executive. I am advised that the release of part or all of this report at this time may have a prejudicial effect on any action that may follow the investigation. I therefore cannot provide the member with the data he requests until the investigation by the Area Procurator Fiscal is complete.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the standard template and guidance for local surveillance of healthcare-acquired infections is to be issued and implemented.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-5063 on 4 December 2008. All answers to oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor1204-02.htm#Col13113.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce publicly-available, hospital-by-hospital reporting of Clostridium difficile and other healthcare associated infections and, if so, how frequently data will be updated and whether it will be publicly accessible on the web.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-5063 on 4 December 2008. All answers to oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor1204-02.htm#Col13113.

  NHS boards will be required to provide bi-monthly updates to board meetings and infection control teams will be expected to maintain a continuous overview of types and numbers of healthcare associated infections; taking action as required to reduce risks to patients and address potential issues.

Housing

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that City of Edinburgh Council will not receive anything from this year’s £30 million of accelerated funding for affordable housing investment and, if so, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Stewart Maxwell: Decisions are still to be made on the allocation of the remainder of the accelerated Affordable Housing Investment Programme for 2008-09.

Housing

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether those local authorities that will not receive anything from this year’s £30 million of accelerated funding of affordable housing investment will be compensated during the rest of the current spending review period.

Stewart Maxwell: Decisions on allocating the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in 2009-10 and 2010-11 will take into account a range of factors in discussion with local authorities.

Housing

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether City of Edinburgh Council will receive less or more money for housing during 2008-11 than originally planned.

Stewart Maxwell: Decisions are still to be made on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme for 2009-10 and 2010-11, and on the remainder of the accelerated AHIP for this year.

  However, over the spending review period 2008-09 to 2010-11 we have already announced combined funding of £119.1 million per annum for the AHIP programme managed by Glasgow and Edinburgh City Councils. Decisions are still to be made on the split of this allocated AHIP programme funding in 2009-10 and in 2010-11. This money is ring fenced thought the Local Government Finance Settlement.

Housing

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent it considers the ability of local authorities to meet the 2012 homelessness target when making decisions about the distribution of housing resources.

Stewart Maxwell: One of the four joint priorities agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA in moving towards the 2012 target is to invest in the right areas to meet homelessness and wider housing need. Decisions on allocations within the Affordable Housing Investment Programme are therefore informed by an assessment of the relative pressures faced by local authorities in moving towards the 2012 homelessness target, in the context of broader housing and regeneration needs and opportunities.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16790 by Stewart Maxwell on 28 October 2008, how many (a) off-the-shelf units and (b) land acquisitions are currently being progressed.

Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing announced a second tranche of the accelerated £30 million programme for 2008-09 on 28 November 2008. From both tranches announced to date there are 28 units (three projects) of off-the-shelf units being progressed and 16 sites with the capacity for 475 units are being progressed for acquisition. There are also 538 units of accelerated construction being progressed. A further announcement is still to be made on the remaining funding available for 2008-09.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16651 by Stewart Maxwell on 27 October 2008, when it expects discussion on detailed budget consequences for individual local authorities to be completed.

Stewart Maxwell: COSLA have advised that leaders agreed at their meeting on 21 November 2008 that the £40 million local authority contribution to the accelerated Affordable Housing Investment Programme will be shared pro rata between all councils based on their shares of the formula used to distribute General Capital Grant in the local government finance settlement.

  All local authorities will therefore make a contribution to the £20 million in 2008-09 and £20 million in 2009-10 which will be returned to them in 2010-11 on the same basis. The details of each local authority’s share of the £20 million/£20 million will be available publicly in a Local Government Finance Circular which we will issue when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth makes his announcement to the Parliament on the Local Government finance settlement on 11 December 2008.

International Development

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it will meet to discuss its plans for the Indian subcontinent as part of its International Development Policy.

Linda Fabiani: Plans for the Indian subcontinent, as part of the International Development Policy, have been discussed with the Consul Generals of Pakistan and India and the International Development Advisory Group. Further discussions will take place with relevant stakeholders and community groups, beginning with the Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland (NIDOS).

Ministerial Committees

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Cabinet Sub-committee on Legislation has met since May 2007 and when these meetings took place.

Bruce Crawford: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation has met six times since May 2007 at these times:

  2007 (all in St Andrew's House):

  Wednesday 27 June

  Wednesday 8 August

  Wednesday 3 October.

  2008 (all in St Andrew's House):

  Wednesday 20 February

  Wednesday 30 April

  Monday 25 August.

  The member may wish to note that this information is published on the Scottish Government’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/SubComonLegislation.

NHS Finance

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate for NHS boards to cut improvement and support budgets as part of efficiency savings.

Nicola Sturgeon: Only schemes that comply with the definition of an efficiency saving would be accepted. The definition of a cash-releasing efficiency saving is where the organisation delivers the same service at a reduced cost, demonstrated by delivering the same outcome(s) or output(s) for a reduced input or delivering a reduced unit cost allowing an increased volume of service for the same cost.

  Potential efficiencies are considered on a case-by-case basis.

NHS Finance

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the efficiency savings made or being made by NHS boards in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10, broken down into recurrent and non-recurrent savings.

Nicola Sturgeon: Details of recurrent and non-recurrent savings by NHS boards are as follows:

  

 NHS Board
 2007-08 Recurrent Savings Achieved (£000)
 2007-08 Non-Recurrent Savings Achieved (£000)
 2008-09 Forecast Recurrent Savings (£000)
 2008-09 Forecast Non-Recurrent Savings (£000)
 2009-10 Forecast Recurrent Savings (£000)
 2009-10 Forecast Non-Recurrent Savings (£000)


 Ayrshire and Arran
 5,516
 0
 10,934
 0
 11,284
 0


 Borders
 1,704
 0
 3,343
 2,318
 3,400
 1,300


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2,176
 0
 4,641
 450
 4,707
 0


 Fife
 4,746
 0
 10,201
 0
 9,902
 0


 Forth Valley
 4,323
 0
 7,511
 4,230
 7,751
 4,434


 Grampian
 5,398
 0
 10,377
 2,549
 7,797
 24,692


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 16,385
 0
 42,200
 4,000
 35,000
 0


 Highland
 5,971
 0
 7,674
 8,311
 8,715
 8,715


 Lanarkshire
 5,823
 0
 11,002
 3,802
 4,500
 16,405


 Lothian
 10,016
 0
 13,682
 6,055
 20,000
 0


 Orkney
 93
 0
 812
 115
 1,023
 0


 Shetland
 408
 0
 520
 190
 1,165
 0


 Tayside
 8671
 0
 9,630
 9,409
 12,625
 6,887


 Western Isles
 601
 0
 1,527
 650
 1,000
 898


 National Waiting Times Centre
 1,382
 0
 800
 0
 824
 0


 NHS 24
 2,579
 0
 4,696
 0
 1,868
 0


 NHS Education for Scotland
 1,468
 0
 724
 0
 747
 0


 NHS Health Scotland
 0
 0
 319
 17
 358
 0


 NHS National Services Scotland
 2,554
 0
 5,617
 0
 5,102
 0


 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
 79
 0
 332
 0
 171
 167


 Scottish Ambulance Service
 1,792
 0
 4,783
 555
 3,918
 0


 The State Hospitals Board for Scotland
 917
 0
 974
 0
 1,122
 225


 Total
 82,602
 0
 152,299
 42,651
 142,979
 63,723

NHS Finance

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the efficiency savings proposed by each NHS board for (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: Details of in-year savings achieved in 2007-08 and the proposed savings for 2008-09 and 2009-10 for each NHS board are as follows:

  

 NHS Board
2007-08 Savings Achieved (£000)
2008-09Forecast Savings (£000)
2009-10Forecast Savings (£000)


 Ayrshire and Arran
 5,516
 10,934
 11,284


 Borders
 1,704
 5,661
 4,700


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2,176
 5,091
 4,707


 Fife
 4,746
 10,201
 9,902


 Forth Valley
 4,323
 11,741
 12,185


 Grampian
 5,398
 12,926
 32,489


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 16,385
 46,200
 35,000


 Highland
 5,971
 15,985
 17,430


 Lanarkshire
 5,823
 14,804
 19,905


 Lothian
 10,016
 19,737
 20,000


 Orkney
 93
 927
 855


 Shetland
 408
 710
 1,165


 Tayside
 8671
 19,039
 19,512


 Western Isles
 601
 2,177
 1,898


 National Waiting Times Centre
 1,382
 800
 824


 NHS 24
 2,579
 4,696
 1,868


 NHS Education for Scotland
 1,468
 724
 747


 NHS Health Scotland
 0
 336
 358


 NHS National Services Scotland
 2,554
 5,617
 5,102


 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
 79
 332
 338


 Scottish Ambulance Service
 1,792
 5,338
 3,918


 The State Hospitals Board for Scotland
 917
 974
 1,347


 Total
 82,602
 194,850
 205,534

NHS Finance

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is appropriate for NHS boards to avoid providing cover for staff on maternity leave as part of efficiency savings.

Nicola Sturgeon: Only schemes that comply with the definition of an efficiency saving would be accepted. The definition of a cash-releasing efficiency saving is where the organisation delivers the same service at a reduced cost, demonstrated by delivering the same outcome(s) or output(s) for a reduced input or delivering a reduced unit cost allowing an increased volume of service for the same cost.

  Potential efficiencies are considered on a case-by-case basis.

NHS Finance

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether savings made by national e-drug procurement programmes are being passed to NHS boards and, if so, whether boards are allowed to count them towards efficiency savings.

Nicola Sturgeon: All savings from the NHS procurement project of the efficiency delivery plans, including those from national e-drug procurement, are retained by NHS boards for local reinvestment.

  All such savings would be recorded as relating to the national NHS procurement project and not the NHS 2% efficiency savings project.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-15208 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 August 2008 indicating that a number of hospital cleaning and catering services contracts is subject to review, whether this position contradicts the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s letter to NHS boards on 20 October 2008 advising them that there will be no further privatisation of hospital cleaning and catering services anywhere in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The announcement I made on 18 October, 2008 is in line with the answer to S3W-15208 and the guidance issued to NHS Chief Executives on 20 October 2008 which indicates that existing contracts for the provision of such services are not affected.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all NHS hospitals or units where external cleaning and catering contracts are (a) in operation, (b) subject to best value reviews or test marketing, (c) in operation under extended PFI/PPP contracts or (d) planned to operate in hospitals or under construction.

Nicola Sturgeon: With regard to cleaning services I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15208 on 22 August 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The hospitals and NHS board with outsourced or PFI catering contracts are as follows:

  NHS Ayrshire and Arran:

  East Ayrshire Community Hospital. PFI contract over 25 years benchmarked on a five yearly basis.

  NHS Highland:

  New Craigs Hospital, Inverness. PFI contract due for benchmarking in 2010.

  NHS Lanarkshire:

  Hairmyres Hospital. PFI contract for 30 years commencing March 2001. Next benchmark exercise due in 2012, and

  Wishaw Hospital. PFI contract for 30 years commencing June 1998. Next benchmark exercise will be on 2013.

  NHS Lothian:

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. PFI contract, benchmarking in five years.

  Ellensglen House - PFI to be market tested in 2008-09.

  Ferryfield House - PFI to be market tested in four years time.

  Tippethill - PFI to be market tested in five years time.

  NHS Shetland:

  Contract awarded for five years in 2007.

  NHS Tayside:

  Carseview - PFI 25 years commencing 2001.

  The new acute hospital in Larbert is under construction as a PFI and both cleaning and catering services will be provided by the external provider but will be subject to value testing after five years of operation. Due to commence in 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has undertaken a review of the costs of (a) construction or (b) staffing following the announcement that future, new or significantly refurbished hospitals will have only single rooms.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had already considered the application of 100% single rooms in the New Southern Hospital prior to submission of the outline business case in March 2008.

  Following the issue of CEL (48) 2008 all NHS boards will have to take into account construction and staff issues within their proposals. These issues will be assessed as part of the review of business cases undertaken by both NHS boards and the Scottish Government Health Directorates.

  The Single Room Steering Group considered a number of factors including construction and staffing. Details are contained within the steering group’s report which will be available from the HAI Task Force website www.scotland.gov.uk/haitaskforce.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive with the exception of the new Southern General Hospital, what plans there are to build hospitals with single rooms only.

Nicola Sturgeon: The guidance applies to new projects that have not yet submitted outline business cases and it is not until they reach that stage that the percentage of single rooms will be established but it is known that DGRI are actively taking the new guidance on board.

  The mental health facilities project currently in procurement by NHS Tayside will also provide 100% single rooms.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether hospital pharmacists have access to patients’ emergency care summaries as part of efforts to improve patient safety.

Nicola Sturgeon: The emergency care summary system can be accessed by all clinicians working in unscheduled care environments where patient consent can be obtained. This includes pharmacists in unscheduled or emergency care in accident and emergency and acute receiving units.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for hospital pharmacists and how many of these posts have been vacant for more than (a) three and (b) six months, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally available.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is ensuring that pay protection is being extended beyond the originally planned three-year period, pending the conclusion of appeals under Agenda for Change.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of NHSScotland staff requiring pay protection under the new system is actually very low. It is currently running at just over 1.5% overall and this figure will continue to come down as Agenda for Change pay catches up with these protected salaries through incremental progression and yearly uplifts. Whilst Agenda for Change pay protection arrangements in England end five years after the date of implementation, Scotland has had a longstanding commitment to extend protection for as long as it is needed for the small number who will still require protection beyond that point. There are no plans to change this.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that clinically important information obtained by members of the primary care team or the primary care network is recorded on a single accessible record.

Nicola Sturgeon: The emergency care summary is the most obvious example of clinically important information from primary care being recorded on a single accessible record. This is particularly useful for those patients who are confused or on multiple medications, and for people who are admitted to hospital at weekends with no access to surgeries for up to date prescribing information.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or is taking, to ensure that all GP software systems to be used in Scotland are compatible with (a) all other clinical systems and (b) data collection systems being used by ISD Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are accredited GP systems in Scotland. All of these systems are compatible with the Scottish Care Information (SCI) gateway store, SCI gateway, SCI-DC, the emergency care summary and ePharmacy. At present there is no requirement for GP systems to be compatible with all other clinical systems in use in Scotland. ISD’s National Clinical Dataset Development Programme has developed a range of clinical data standards. ISD will work with the eHealth Programme and NISG to ensure that new accredited GP systems meet ISD Scotland’s requirements.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for ensuring that medical information on prisoners is transferred to their GPs on release, including (a) primary care information, (b) screening information and test results, (c) information on programmes addressing issues such as drugs and alcohol use or anger management and other behavioural programmes and (d) information about the nature of their offences where that may relate to future health issues, such as alcohol, drugs, domestic violence, anger control or other forms of abuse.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Clinical practice in SPS conforms to current General Medical Council guidance regarding confidentiality and the protection and provision of information.

  Any prisoner in receipt of prescribed medication at point of planned release, or who has served a prison sentence of six months or more, should have a discharge summary completed by the prison medical officer and issued to the prisoner’s GP where this is known. Arrangements are also in place to ensure that any substitute prescribing to address drug misuse issues are continued in the community upon release.

Travellers

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a statement on the action it is taking to address the issues faced by the Gypsy/Traveller community in Scotland.

Stewart Maxwell: On Monday 8 December the Minister for Communities and Sport officially launched the Scottish Government Race Statement. The statement lays out the Scottish Government’s approach to race equality over the next three years and the issues faced by Gypsies/Travellers have been considered.

  We are aware that this community is one of the most disenfranchised in Scotland and we will take specific action to address the issues that they face.

Travellers

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish a statement on race equality.

Stewart Maxwell: On Monday 8 December the Minister for Communities and Sport officially launched the Scottish Government Race Statement. The Statement lays out the Scottish Government’s approach to race equality over the next three years.